Line guide for fishing rods



sept. 24, 1940. H. R. DOREMUS 2,216,002

Y LINE GUIDE FOR FISHING RODS Filed March 18, 1939 mi? gd Ilmlmmmmmmmmlml mmmmmmmmmmmmm Henrlj R. Doremus Patented Sept. 24, 1940 GUIDE Foa FISHING nous PATENT OFFICE v Provo, Utah f f ApplicationMarchlS, 1939, Serial No. 262,723

"This invention relates to aline Aguide for fishing rods and itsprincipal objects' are:

First. To'provde a guidefthai'. is substantially "permanentin the matter of wrappings by means ofwhich it isattached to a rod, but in which the l'guide'proper is vreplaceable or renewablealmost -`instantly Vat'any time. V i f Y Second. 'lo provide securitybflfaste'ning for vthe guide, while retaining maximum `flexibility of the rod' whereby' whipping and/ortanglin'g of the line is prevented.

Third. To save undue wearing out of fish lines because of mutual cutting between the line and the guide.

Fourth. Tomake it possible to replace a guide without having to remove theline for rethreading through the remaining' guides. "f Fifth. To'make it possible 'tocast-a line 4farther and more smoothly than heretofore.' 7

Sixth. To be applicable to, and to provide maximum ilexibilityl l for, aiishing od ofany size and for any purpose:`` y

Seventh. -To render the upkeep of a rod' much less expensive t'hanha's heretofore beenpossible. To a skilled lfisherman, fishing-is yanart, and he is extremely particular abouthis equipment, and especially so about'his fishing rod. 'A' light fishing rod Vwill frequently weigh as little as four ounces, and naturally f must have' 'perfect balance. Therefore, anything that'is attached to the rod, such as the guides, must'have its design very carefully worked out,'and must not add any substantial weight to theiro'd. 'Tf- Heretofore, line guides'h'a've been `attached to poles in ase'I'ni-permanentway, thereby requiring the expenditure of considerable time'and labor in replacing the guides. Owing to the limitations in shape of the usual guides,coupl`ed withthe necessity of extremely 'light'structurathe line .passing 40 through the usual guides', cuts and wears th'exnout 1in relatively short times,'so that' in a single sea'- son, a moderatelyA active iisher'manm'ay replace the guidesat least three times.' As there may be from 12 to 15 guides on a single rod, "requiring often asmuch as three vhours for anexpert to replace, the saving in time 'andtheconvenience -accomplished by .the invention, ay readily be perceived as itsdisclosure proceeds.l

Briefly, the invention ycontemplates a guideproper having a loop "portion supported on vtwo parallel leg portions, which latter may be detachably held, preferably frictionally, in separate sheaths'. The sheaths in turn, are permanently attached to the 'po'lesby'means of wrappings of "55 suitable threads vor crds.

f1 l'- f In the drawing which illustrates one embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 represents an elevation of a fragmentary section of a fishing rod, with a guide of the invention attached thereto;

Fig. 2, a plan partially in section, taken on the line 2-2 in Fig. l;

Fig. 3, an elevation of an individual guide sheath looking in the direction of arrow 3 vin Fig: 2, removed from the rod, thisffigure being-drawn l0 to an enlarged scale; Y

Fig. 3a is a lcross Asection on line 3ft-3a of Fig. 3;

' Fig. 4,a plan correspondingto Fig. 3;

Fig. 5, a vertical section taken on the line 5-5 l15` 'inFig.'3; l Fig. 6, a view in perspective,`of a guide of an- 'other shape, shown with a fragmentary portiony Vof the rod to which it is attached; Fig. 7, a view in perspective, ofthe guide of '1"20 Fig. 6, rem'ovedfrom the rod to show its individ- `ual structure;l and, Fig; 8, a view in perspective, of a guide having still another shape.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 20 indil5 cates the fragmentary portion of a fishing rod of the split bamboo type which is usually hexagonal in cross-sectionV and composedof six longitudinally extending sections 20a to20f, these being fastened together in a way which has nothing i530 todo with the invention. The fishing rod may be of any other cross-section such as round, since the -shape 'is immaterial.

The guide 2l may be made of piano wire of a proper size `and be formed'as indicated in Figs. les

' 1' and 2,'in this form the front portion 2in, ex-

tends substantially parallel to the front face of fthe 'rod section 20e, and has the'two backwardly extending side portions 2lb and 2| f, from which h in turng'legs 2 I g and 2 Ih. extend downwardly, sub- `stantially in contact with the outside faces of the rod sections 20bfand 20f; One of the legs, for exampleZlg, is longer than the other, for a purpose which will presently appear. Frictionally*r gripping the legs 2Ig and 2thand holding them $2125 fin snug contact with the outside facesof the re- 'spective sections 20h and' 20j, are the respective sheaths or holders 24, these having the verticall5/'extending channels 25, forming grooves 25d` disposed substantially central of the sheath. Thei'50 upper marginal portion of the shield may be bent *back upon itself, as indicated at 24a, in order to j reinforce the same for strength. Extending along the upper edge of the sheath is a lip 24h, the purpose of which will presently appear. The sheath '$55 is. preferably tapered from the bottom towards the top, somewhat as indicated in Fig. 3, the lower points 24e of this taper being located below the points 251) of the channel 25. The sheath may extend to a suitable distance below the points 24C, as indicated at 24d.

While the complete guide means may include the guide proper 2i, together with two sheaths 24, as indicated in the Figures l and 2, yet this assembly ,is ,ordinarily spokeny of simply as a Assembling of al guide means with a rod, may

begin at a point such as 2li", Fig. l., by closely M wrapping the rod with a layer of flexible mate'- wrapping extends upwardly of the 'rodI to'the de*- sired extent, at which poiiititlie guidew-ithl .its

sheath is placed in the position indicated in lFigs. l and 2, and the wrapping continueduntil the -ftop"'of the sheath -is reached; the lastthreadbeing crowded and fastened into :position under the lipflb muchi'after the amanner :indicated in -Rig..15. l i -x In this connection it is;to. be noted thatthe .distance A, Fig. ll, indicating the depth ofi-the groove 25a, may advantageously. be a trifle-,less than the diameter of a leg 2|g or-2|h which is .to be-'inserted therein. This provides'for a bindingaction upon a leg between :the sheath and the surface of the rod, when thatleg is pushed 'into its groove, andalso forholding it frictionally therein. The holding power of the sheathsf'is enhancedby the tight wrapping Zlwhich springs the two sides of the :groovedportion together. Thus the sheaths exert continuously, a'yielding -grip upon' the guides proper, rendering the'latter easily removable and replaceable at any time, it being only necessary- 'to overcome the frictional gripfor pulling `axguide member out of itsfsheaths,vor for pushing it` into `its-sheaths.

The performance of the binding actionreferred to' in the preceding'paragraph,.fis novel and of great importance. It results, because -the winding-2'! has lconsiderable elasticity and when thechannel 25 is vacant, normally holds the inner faces of the-shield"wings'24e snugly against the corresponding face of the rod. The -winding 2l'also holds the outer side edges of the wings snugly in substantial coincidence with the edges of the corresponding rod face. Therefore, whenv a guide leg is pushed into a channel 25, its diameter being greater than-the dimension A, the leg naturally pushes outwardly in substantially an axial plane, against Ythe inner surface of the channel U-bend and thereby draws the extremities 'of the U-legs away from the face ofthe rod. YAt the same time, the side edges of the wings cannot move outwardly, but on the contrary, tend to be moved slightly inwardly because of the tension in the winding 21. This causes the vopposite sides of the U-channel, to close in against the guide leg and to exert a clamping action thereon along two longitudinal elements vwhich lie substantially' vin an axial plane transverse to the axial plane'iirst mentioned. Thus,` each guide leg is yieldingly and doubly .clamped along its length, which provides a frictionalfastening of maximum holdingpower and durability. p Fishing rods are made ina-great many different sizes and types, dependent lupon the exact purpose for which they are to be used. For example, a fly rod is very light and the wrapping 21 in such a case, wouldV consist OLQO; sewing rits holders ,or sheaths.

silk. In a trolling rod a much heavier thread would be used, while in a deep-sea shing rod an extremely heavy cord would be used. Likewise, the guide member 2| and the sheath 24 would vary greatly in size and strength for the different kinds of fishing rods. For example, in a ily fishing rod the distance between the legs 2lb and 2|,f in the clear, might be '2K3-inch for a guide located near the lower end of the rod, and considerably smallerthan ,thisA for a guide at the upperend `fof the same `rod./L[he sheaths used on a light pole might be made" of very thin .sheet brass, varying from 2/1000-inch to- 1%000- inch in thickness, and the length thereof may 'varyffrom--inchto 1% inch. However, none ofthe, specific sizes herein mentioned, are in any way'intended to restrict the invention, specific '.sizeszbeing ,given merely as examples.

In 6, the guide proper 28, instead of havcurved, as indicated at 28a. In Fig. '7, 4the guide proper Zzis Shown individually, removed from One of the legs of the guide 28, for example the one at 281),l may be longerthan the othenfor the same reason that the lengths of the two legsof the guide 2|, Figs.

`ll4 and-2, are, different, the reason being that whena guideis to be `inserted in its sheath, Iit is mucheasiento accomplish this result when one leg is entered in its corresponding sheath .nrsn andlater.. the secondgleg in its correspond- ,ing sheath;

While the shapes of the guides 2| and 28 as shown, are generally "preferred, other shapes too, are frequently used, for example, such as the Vone indicated at 2-)'i-nf1ig;.7.v In this, the front 29a mightbe straight, and the two side portions 29h and 29o, inclined'somewhatafter the manner shown. l

1*.; Itis to be'vparticularly notedthat in applying a sheath, such as 24, to a rod, and wrapping vthe -same` as. hereinbefore described, that the ,'threadcinwinding,should first tie down the side portions ofthe sheath before starting to climbup the incline at -30,which itfmust do in wrapping around the. outside of the channel 24, as indivcatedfor example in Figi. 2. This prior tying down is accomplishedby having the points 24e a Asuitabledistance below the point 25h, Fig. 3, as .hereinbefore mentioned. i

- In 'thecase of roundpoles, the relative position of the sheaths could. be maintained, but the wings Nefthereoinstead of conforming to the Astraight faces of a polygonal figure, would il lnaturally conform-to thearc of a circular crosslsection. i

Attention is directed especially to the wide -spacing between the two legs of the guide member, and to the generous opening that is provided Uinthe loop, all of whichis made possible by means ofthe invention, and which tends to .reduce `to a minimum, contact between a loop vand a line, as the latter runs outl or is pulled in.

.When, ultimately, a loop is roughen'edfrom ani unavoidable minimum contact with a line,the loopcmay be'replaced by a new one'in a fraction of a minute, noticeably without molesting rod, prevents them from, lbeing pulled fout,fbe-

cause of .the close frictional contact with the guide legs, when a guide is pulled` out rfor any reason.-v The normal position of a line is indicated at 30.

While a specific embodiment of the invention is herein shown and described, it is to be understood that numerous minor changes may be made therein Without avoiding the following claims.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim is: ,Y

1. Guide means for iishing rods, including in combination, a rod, a guide memberproper having a frontal portion, side portions spaced apart from each other and extending backward from the frontal portion, a leg extending from each side portion, the said legs paralleling each other, and sheaths attached to the said rod, the said sheaths being so disposed that said legs may be selectively pushed into the shields or be with- .drawn therefrom without disturbing the integrity of permanence of the shields.

2. Guide means for fishing rods, .comprising a rod, a guide member having spaced-apartV legs extending parallel in the same general direc' tion, a gripping sheath for each leg,and means disposed to secure the gripping sheaths to the rod.

3. Guide means for fishing rods vin accordance with claim 2, wherein the gripping sheaths are secured to the rod by means of a continuous exible wrapping extending around the sheaths and around the rod.

4. Guide means for iishing rods, comprising a rod, a guide member having parallel depending legs, sheaths disposed to frictionally hold the said legs against the rod, each sheath being of sheet form tapered from bottom to top, and wrapping means extending around the sheaths'and the rod.

5. A sheath for a leg of a line guide attached to a iishing rod, including in combination, a channel extending longitudinally `of the said leg, the said channel havinga width closely approximating the diameter of the leg and a depth slightly less than the said diameter, wings extending outwardly from the sides of the channel, and wrapping meanseffective to yieldingly hold the sheath against the rod so that upon insertiton 'of the guide leg in the sheath channel the sheath is caused to yieldingly clamp the leg. f

6. A sheath for a leg of a line guide attached to a shing rod in accordance with claim 5, in which the said clamping action is yieldingly exerted` substantially along two intersecting axial planes.

7. A sheath for av leg of a line guide attached to a fishing rod, comprising a channel disposed to slidably receive the said leg, Wings extending from the sides of the said channel, a lip protruding outwardly from a transverse edge of the said sheath, and a wrapper extending around the sheath and the said rod; the said protruding lip forming a limit stop for the said wrapper.

8. A sheath for a leg of a line guide attached to a fishing rod, comprising a channel disposed to contain the said leg, wing portions extending from both sides of the said channel, and wrap` ping means extending over the sheath and the rod andv bearing on the said wing portions whereby the sides of the said channel are caused to grip the said'leg. l Y

9. A sheath fora leg of a line guide attached to a shing rod, in accordance with claim 8,

wherein the said wing portions are tapered from Ato a fishing rod, in accordance with claim 10,

wherein the said sheath is engaged by the said wrapper in a manner such that the sheath is prevented from being accidentally pulled out of the Wrapper.

12. A fishing rod, including in combination, a rod, a line, and a guide for the said line, the said guide including a leg, a channel having a U-bend in which the said leg is slidably insertable, lwings spreading outwardly from the said channel and disposed to contact the said rod, and a wrapper disposed to simultaneously contact the outside of the said U-bend and the side edges of the said wings; the said combination being so constituted that insertion of the said leg into the said channel yieldingly stresses the said f 

